THOSE around Ed Miliband have been fighting like ferrets in a sack at Westminster this week. It seems they are spending their time knocking lumps out of each other and the Labour Party leader in the hope of getting their strategy to lose the General Election agreed by him. It has slightly distracted from the continuing good news on the economy, which continues to recover although we still have a long way to go to get the huge debt built up under control.

But there was great news for Reading as Crossrail is finally going to come here, putting right the terrible mistake made by the last Labour Government when it rather absurdly made Maidenhead the western terminus. Crossrail now joins the growing list of huge infrastructure investments that will make Reading the place to come to, to live, to do business and invest in for decades to come. The success of the campaigns I have led on Reading Station, a direct link to Heathrow and now Crossrail mean Reading is going to be one of the best connected towns in Europe. These decisions by the Government show enormous commitment to the people of our town and have massive positive implications for growth and the delivery of highly skilled and well paid jobs in the Greater Reading and Thames Valley region.

Once again Labour got it badly wrong, with its constant carping and criticism that the Government would not deliver Crossrail. I remember the letters to local newspapers (indeed I have copies) with all the negativity that local councillors and candidates could muster. But that’s politics and now it’s just chalked up as another massive Labour malfunction to add to schools and education, welfare benefits, jobs - the list is fairly endless.

But back to Crossrail, I have been saying for some time that a Crossrail terminating at Reading needs to be the right Crossrail not any Crossrail. In delivering the best service for my constituents and unlocking its full economic potential for the region, we still have further work to do. Let me explain why.

In phase 1, which opens in December 2019, Crossrail will not offer faster journey times between Reading and London. It is currently envisaged that Crossrail trains from Reading will take 50 minutes to reach London Paddington, around the same times as the slow, “stopper” services, and far slower than the approximate 25 minute fast new Intercity trains that will run frequently between Reading Station and Paddington. In addition, Crossrail trains will lack many of the facilities, such as toilets and catering, offered by existing rail services.

We therefore need to go further – to Phase 2. I have spent months now pushing for and negotiating this with ministers and other interested parties – so we deliver the right Crossrail. Transport Minister Stephen Hammond has confirmed in a letter to me that the Department for Transport will now order a detailed study of the benefits and costs of constructing additional loop facilities to enable faster Crossrail trains between Reading and Paddington. In addition, Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership is backing my plan and has put in its own submission for further funds.

These loops will allow faster trains to overtake slower ones and provide commuters with a real choice and alternative that adds significant additional passenger capacity and will probably be cheaper. Whilst a slow stopper service to London and beyond will have some impact in 2019, it is the semi fast services that will really unlock Crossrail’s full potential. Imagine Reading to Central London in under 50 minutes with no changes and little fuss! That’s what we can now look forward to by 2021 and it’s why I will continue to fight to deliver the right solutions to my Reading East constituents.